Fossil wood flora from the Siwalik Group of Arunachal Pradesh,India and its climatic and phytogeographic significance

The plant fossil records from the Siwalik Group of Arunachal Pradesh, India are far from satisfactory due to remoteness and dense vegetation of the area. We report seven fossil woods of which three belong to the Middle Siwalik (Subansiri Formation), while the rest are from the Upper Siwalik (Kimin Formation). The modern analogues of the fossils from the Middle Siwalik are Lophopetalum littorale (Celastraceae), Afzelia-Intsia and Sindora siamensis (Fabaceae) and from the Upper Siwalik are Miliusa velutina (Annonaceae), Calophyllum tomentosum and Kayea (Calophyllaceae) and Diospyros melanoxylon (Ebenaceae). The dominance of diffuse porosity in the fossil woods indicates a tropical climate with low seasonality (little variation) in temperature, while a high proportion of large vessels and simple perforation plates in the assemblage infer high precipitation during the deposition of the sediments. The aforesaid inference is in strong agreement with the previous quantitative reconstruction based on fossil leaves. Several modern analogues of the fossil taxa are now growing in low latitudes possibly due to an increase in seasonality (increased variation) in temperature caused by the rising Himalaya.     

Fossil viruses

Viruses are very much in the news these days, unfortunately, but what about their geological history? Are viruses preserved in the fossil record? If so, how does that happen, and how far back do they go? And what about the roles of viruses in the environment? Are they significant or were they just the nasty invisible parasites we regard them to be today, disrupting life as we know it and leading to the very sad and untimely death of 1000s of people? Or were they both—good and bad? This article explores some of these issues.     

Fossil sharks

Sharks were around as early as the Silurian and were most abundant during the Carboniferous. During the Eocene, some of them were even larger than today's Great White Shark.     

Fossil vertebrate footprints

Fossil vertebrate footprints occur in sediments of all ages, from the first venturings onto land early in the Devonian to the present. They are to be found in sediments from which bones are not recovered, thus adding to our knowledge of animal distribution in the past, and allowing stratigraphical correlation and the interpretation of ancient environments. Most importantly, however, footprints furnish a dynamic record of the way in which animals lived and moved, even telling us something of their social behaviour.     

Fossil coniferous wood from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota in western Liaoning,NE China: New material and palaeoclimate implications

The Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota, one of the most important Mesozoic lagerstätten in East Asia, is especially well-known for occurrences of fossil feathered dinosaurs and early angiosperms. However, the terrestrial biodiversity, especially the fossil wood record, is poorly known. In this study, several structurally preserved coniferous wood specimens from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation are investigated, based on collections from the Heichengzi Basin in Beipiao of western Liaoning, Northeast China. Four species referred to four genera of fossil wood are described, including Taxodioxylon heichengziense sp. nov., Thujoxylon beipiaoense sp. nov., Sciadopityoxylon liaoningense Ding and Protocedroxylon shengjinbeigouense sp. nov. These new records enlarge the fossil wood diversity of the Yixian Formation up to 10 species in 9 genera, and provide further insights into the forest vegetation composition of the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota. Systematic analysis of the floral constitution indicates that the petrified forests of the Yixian Formation are dominated by conifers, represented by Araucariaceae, Podocarpaceae, Sciadopityaceae, Pinaceae and Cupressaceae in the western Liaoning region. Palaeoclimatical analysis of the fossil wood assemblage implies that the western Liaoning region was dominated by a cool temperate, wet and seasonal climate with variable interannual water supply in the western Liaoning region during the Early Cretaceous.     

Fossil chimaera egg capsules

A new species of chimaeroid egg capsule, Rhinochimaera caucasica, from strata in the North Caucasus tentatively identified as of Lower Cretaceous age, is described. A summary review of the 31 known occurrences of these reproductive bodies from all parts of the earth is presented and the difficulty in treating them taxonomically is discussed. Justification is made for reference of the more complete, specifically named specimens regardless of geologic age to either one or the other of the living genera Harriotta, Rhinochimaera, and Callorhynchus. — D. H. Dunkle.     

Fossil Fishes from Choukoutien

The fossil fishes described in the present paper were first discoveredand excavated by Mr. W. C. Pei of the Cenozoic Laboratory, GeologicalSurvey of China, from Choukoutien in 1933. According to my deter-mination they, except one specimen, belong to the genus Barbus of thefamily Cyprinidae, being represented by Barbus szechuanensis Tchang     

The Brymbo Fossil Forest

Sites yielding Pennsylvanian (late Carboniferous) coal floras are well known across Europe and North America, but they usually only yield drifted remains of the plants. To understand the ecology of these ancient tropical wetlands properly it is essential that we study in situ remains of the plants. During recent re‐development work of a disused steelworks in the Denbigh Coalfield (north Wales) the remains of a stand of mainly arborescent club mosses and horsetails have been discovered, which is providing new insights into how these unusual plants grew.     

Fossil Heavy Mineral Concentrations

Zusammenfassung Fossile Schwermineralanreicherungen (Seifen), die wirtschaftlich nicht nutzbar sind, treten gelegentlich in Sandsteinen und Konglomeraten auf. Die Konfiguration, die Mineralzusammensetzung und der vermutete Ablagerungsraum von sechs Schwermineralanreicherungen aus Westdeutschland, die ein unterschiedliches stratigraphisches Alter (Unterdevon, Oberdevon, Rotliegendes, RhÄt, Dogger und OligozÄn) haben, werden beschrieben und illustriert. Die Bildungsbedingungen von Seifen im allgemeinen sind kurz erwÄhnt. Radiographien werden als methodisches Hilfsmittel zur Untersuchung von Seifen demonstriert.Die geographische und stratigraphische Verteilung — vom PrÄkambrium bis zum QuartÄr — von bekannten, wirtschaftlich nutzbaren und nicht nutzbaren Anreicherungen ist tabellarisch zusammengefa\t. Ferner werden Schwermineralanreicherungen nach der Art des Ablagerungsraums klassifiziert. Abschlie\end werden aus diesen Beobachtungen über fossile Seifen Folgerungen auf die physiographische Verteilung rezenter Seifen gezogen.

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Noneconomic fossil heavy mineral concentrations (streaks) are a conspicuous feature in some sandstones and conglomerates. Configuration, mineral composition, and presumable environment of deposition of such concentrations are described based on six examples of varying stratigraphic age from West Germany. Conditions of placer formation are briefly mentioned. Radiographs are demonstrated as an auxiliary tool to studying placers.Geographic and stratigraphic distribution (from Precambrian to Quaternary) of known noneconomic and economic accumulations are tabulated. A tentative classification of heavy mineral concentrations as to their depositional environment is presented. As a result of these observations on ancient placers, conclusions can be drawn regarding the physiographic distribution of Recent placers.

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Résumé Des enrichissements fossiles de minéraux lourds (placers), sans valeur commerciale, peuvent Être observés occasionnellement dans des grès et des conglomérats. L'auteur décrit et illustre la configuration, la composition minéralogique et l'aire de sédimentation présumée de six concentrations de minéraux lourds, d'âges stratigraphiques différents (Dévonien inférieur, Dévonien supérieur, Rotliegend, Rhétien, Dogger et Oligocène), tous en République Fédérale Allemande. Les conditions générales de genèse des placers sont brièvement mentionnées. La radiographie se montre comme une méthode auxiliaire dans la recherche des placers.La distribution géographique et stratigraphique — du Précambrien au Quaternaire — des placers commerciaux et non-commerciaux connus est résumée dans un tableau. Les placers sont ensuite classifiés selon le milieu de sédimentation. A partir de ces observations sur les placers fossiles, on peut tirer quelques conclusions sur la distribution physiographique des placers récents.

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This paper was presented at the VIII International Sedimentological Congress 1971, Heidelberg.     

周口店多足类化石

1932—1937年间在周口店中国猿人产地及其他地点采得八十馀件节足动物化石,多破碎,完整者极少。颜色不一,由乳白而棕黄,兼有呈半透明玻璃状者。经初步观察,应属节足动物门,多足纲,倍脚目,马陆科,计一属两种: 一、山马陆(Julus of.terrestris)此种在第一,三,十五地点及山顶洞均有发现。此与现生的山马陆无甚差异,仅肛板及由二肛板所成之肛门沟稍大。二、裴氏小马陆(Julus peii Chia & Liu(sp.nov.)此种於第一,四,十五地点及山顶洞均有发现。由身体及头部形态,身体环节数目(三十个以上),知其与山马陆同属。但其决非幼小山马陆,因其体节数目多於长成之山马陆。但与现生於日本的一种 Nipponoiulus truncatus 近似,惟後者体节数较少,尾端钝圆。关於马陆属化石,据现在所知最早发现於始新统地层中,直到现在仍有生存,变异极小。以上所述二种若非与其他脊椎动物化石共生於周口店地点,则其年代颇难鉴定,因其有以後爬入岩隙死後石化之可能,不过上述之标本不但有共生脊椎动物为证,且有的已埋藏於固结的砾岩中,其属於更新统时期可无疑义。     

周口店多足类化石

1932—1937年间在周口店中国猿人产地及其他地点采得八十馀件节足动物化石,多破碎,完整者极少。颜色不一,由乳白而棕黄,兼有呈半透明玻璃状者。经初步观察,应属节足动物门,多足纲,倍脚目,马陆科,计一属两种: 一、山马陆(Julus of.terrestris)此种在第一,三,十五地点及山顶洞均有发现。此与现生的山马陆无甚差异,仅肛板及由二肛板所成之肛门沟稍大。二、裴氏小马陆(Julus peii Chia & Liu(sp.nov.)此种於第一,四,十五地点及山顶洞均有发现。由身体及头部形态,身体环节数目(三十个以上),知其与山马陆同属。但其决非幼小山马陆,因其体节数目多於长成之山马陆。但与现生於日本的一种 Nipponoiulus truncatus 近似,惟後者体节数较少,尾端钝圆。关於马陆属化石,据现在所知最早发现於始新统地层中,直到现在仍有生存,变异极小。以上所述二种若非与其他脊椎动物化石共生於周口店地点,则其年代颇难鉴定,因其有以後爬入岩隙死後石化之可能,不过上述之标本不但有共生脊椎动物为证,且有的已埋藏於固结的砾岩中,其属於更新统时期可无疑义。     

Effects of weathering on organic matter: Part II: Fossil wood weathering and implications for organic geochemical and petrographic studies

Bulk geochemical, petrographical, mineralogical and molecular compositions of unweathered, weathered and transitional zones of a Middle Jurassic fossil wood were analyzed to trace changes caused by oxidative weathering of the immature terrestrial organic matter (OM). The occurrence of such zones was confirmed by the mineral composition, showing replacement of siderite and pyrite by goethite. Vitrinite reflectance analysis of weathered and unweathered fossil wood samples revealed that weathering elevated the vitrinite reflectance values by ca. 0.1%, which should be taken into account during modeling of low maturity terrestrial OM. In the weathered part of the wood, most of the biomarkers and biomolecules were totally removed or the concentration decreased significantly. The concentration of most of the polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) decreased by 50–80%, being >90% for the more reactive and less stable benzo[a]pyrene and perylene. On the other hand, several aromatic compounds, like phenanthrene and its methyl derivatives, phenyl naphthalenes, fluoranthene and oxygen-containing aromatic compounds increased in concentration in the weathered zone. This results from processes such as formation of phenyl derivatives of PAHs and their cyclization, as well as aromatization of diterpenoids and incorporation of oxygen into aromatic structures. Weathering should always be considered in studies of fossilized terrestrial OM, especially in the case of thermal maturation modeling, because it significantly decreases the OM content and total sulfur content, changes vitrinite reflectance values and alters the extract composition as a result of organic compound degradation.     

Discovery of Fossil Bittacids in China

This paper deals with a fossil taxon of Bittacidae (Mecoptera, Insecta) collected from the Middle Jurassic Haifanggou Formation in Beipiao county> Liaoning province, and considered to be a discovery in China. Based mainly on its salient features, a new genus-Liaobittacus gen. nov -is erected and its affinity and migration are also discussed.     

提高火电机组运行经济水平的若干方法初探

在对长期积累的生产数据进行分析总结的基础上,本文从机组运行方式、设备配置、技术改造等角度,论述了降低汽机发电热耗,提高燃烧效率,降低厂用电率的一些常规方法,并就各种具体技术、方法对提高机组经济水平的影响程度进行分析和比较。认为,通过综合应用当前比较成熟的多项技术,开展扎实有效的节能工作,国产机组的平均经济水平应该能够达到：200MW机组的供电煤耗为353g/kwh,电泵运行厂用电率为7.5%;300MW机组的供电煤耗为340g/kwh,在汽泵运行工况下,厂用电率在5%以下;600MW机组的供电煤耗达到310g/kwh的水平。     

An AFM Observation on Fossil Cytoplasm

Fossil cytoplasm is a new research topic of interest in paleobotany. Atomic force microscope （AFM） is a new technology applied widely in physics and biology; however, it is rarely used in paleontology. Here we applied AFM for the first time to study fossil cytoplasm. The results indicate that the fossil cytoplasm is heterogeneous and full of ultrastructures, just like extant cytoplasm, and that the application of AFM, especially in combination with other techniques, can reveal the subcellular details of fossil plants with more confidence.